On 1 January 2020, the Balanced Labour Market Act (Wab) (with the exception of a few components) was introduced.

With the Wab, maintenance has been carried out on the regulations in the field of flexible labour, dismissal law and unemployment benefits, so that the system supports employers and employees in entering into an employment relationship that matches their needs and the nature of the work. The measures are in line with the Work and Security Act (Wwz). With the Wwz, steps have been taken to offer flexible employees more security, to make dismissal law more unambiguous, simpler and cheaper and to make the WW more activating.

This research concerns a monitor and evaluation of the Wab. The main target groups of the Wab are employees (including bogus self-employed persons), job seekers, and employers/hirers. They should be involved in the research. In addition, the Client wants to have the experience of other parties involved investigated, such as legal aid providers, judges and implementing agencies.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment needs the monitor and evaluation of the Wab in order to gain insight into the implementation of the Wab in practice.

The following three obligations are relevant for the design of the monitor and evaluation of the Wab:

• The explanatory memorandum of the Wab states that the Wab will be evaluated five (5) years after its entry into force;

• During the parliamentary debate on the Wab, it was promised to monitor or evaluate certain parts of the Wab, and to report on them to the House of Representatives of the States General. This concerns specific avoidance constructions in the context of premium differentiation in the WW and monitoring the effect of the chain determination in response to the Kuzu motion;

• The monitor and evaluation of the Wab is part of the periodic report scheduled for 2027 on the theme of industrial relations and employment conditions of the Strategic Evaluation Agenda.

The measures of the Wab fall into three sub-topics: 1) flexible labour, 2) dismissal law and 3) premium differentiation in the WW. It is therefore obvious that three sub-studies will be carried out that will be brought together in an overarching study.

Several studies have already been carried out. The results of these studies should be taken into account in the monitoring and evaluation of the Wab. Section 2.7 contains the studies previously carried out.

The final reports should be ready in 2025. In order to have sufficient time for the collection of data, the assignment will be set out as early as 2023.